Education Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan

Chapter I




Main Definitions

 

Article 1. Main Concepts

 

1.0. The main concepts used in this Law define the following meanings:

1.0.1. Matriculate – an individual who submits the relevant documents to the higher or secondary vocational-technical education institution for admission;

1.0.2. Merit-based stipend – a stipend established by the state, an entity or an individual for the students who have demonstrated exceptional scholastic performance in education, actively participated in the social-cultural life of an academic institution;

1.0.3. Adjunct studies (Post-graduate military studies) – the training of highly specialized scientific-pedagogic personnel in military academic institutions considered as an equivalent to doctoral studies.

1.0.4. Academy - a higher educational institution that implements higher and in-service training programs, and conducts fundamental and applied scientific research;

1.0.5. Accreditation – a procedure to determine and approve the adherence of an educational institution’s activities to the national education standards, and its status.

1.0.6. Attestation – a procedure for evaluating the learning achievements of students and the teachers’ performance at each phase and level of education.

1.0.7. Bachelor – a higher vocational-professional degree conferred to the individuals who have completed Bachelor’s Degree

1.0.8. Bachelor’s Degree – the first level of higher vocational-professional education that trains a broad range of specialists in respective majors.

1.0.9. Distance learning – a type of education where the teaching process is organized through electronic, telecommunications, software and technical tools.

1.0.10. Dissertation – a science thesis which is submitted for earning a corresponding academic degree.

1.0.11. Dissertation student –an individual who is working on dissertation

1.0.12. Doctoral student – an individual enrolled in the doctoral program

1.0.13. Doctor’s Degree – the highest degree in higher education, a type of advanced scientific and pedagogic training that provides conferment of the doctorate degree.

1.0.14. Associate Professor – an academic title conferred to the teachers in higher educational institutions and an elective office.

1.0.15. Doctor of Science – the highest academic degree conferred during the second stage of the doctorate program by the fields of science.

1.0.16. Home Learning – delivery of the general education based on the relevant teaching programs (curricula)

1.0.17 Further education – an education based on supplementary education programs provided to meet the citizens’ comprehensive educational needs.

1.0.18. Doctor of Philosophy – a scientific degree conferred during the first phase of doctorate programs by the respective field of study.

1.0.19. Individual Learning – a type of education for the students who have not been enrolled in educational institution for a long time due to various reasons, also for the students who have an exceptional talent in a certain area of study.

1.0.20. Professor-Emeritus (Doctor) – an honorary academic title/degree conferred a higher educational institution to professors and associate professors distinguished for their scientific and pedagogic work and experiences, as well as the scholars and public figures of foreign countries that have made a special contribution to the global science and education.

1.0.21. Formal education – education which concludes with the issuance of a state education document.

1.0.22. Gymnasium – a general education institution that offers educational services on various subjects for students who are primarily recognized for their talent and capacity in humanities.

1.0.23. Informal education – a type of acquiring knowledge through self-directed learning.

1.0.24. Innovation – progressive novelties developed based on various institutions, scientific researches.

1.0.25. Institute (higher education institution) – a higher education institution, either independent or a structural unit of the universities, which carries out the training of specialists with higher education on specific specialties, as well as provides in-service training programs.

1.0.26. Major – a field of study specified in the corresponding academic document, type of activity within a common specialty.

1.0.27. Specialization – a professional specialty obtained on components of the corresponding vocational and professional education major.

1.0.28. Campus – an educational complex (town) that houses pertinent material and technical foundation, and an infrastructure.

1.0.29. College – an educational institution that provides educational services based on secondary professional and vocational programs and has the right to confer sub-bachelor vocational and professional degree. 

1.0.30. Conservatoire – a higher educational institution which trains highly specialized experts on the field of music.

1.0.31. Non-formal education – a type of education received as a result of various courses, clubs and individual courses, wherein no state education document is issued upon completion.

1.0.32. License – a special permit issued by the state for providing educational operations.

1.0.33. Lyceum – a general education institution at the basic and secondary education levels which provides for educational services for talented students under the respective fields of study.

1.0.34. Master’s Program – the second level of higher education.

1.0.35. Master – a higher academic professional degree conferred to the individuals who have completed the Master’s Program.

1.0.36. Nostrification – a procedure for identification (recognition) of the equivalent of an academic document.

1.0.37. Professor – a scientific title conferred to experienced doctors of science (except for the fields which require special aptitude) for their advanced scientific and academic achievements, an elective office in higher educational institutions.

1.0.38. Residency – a basic higher education program that carries out specialist training in medical majors

1.0.39. Independent (external) education – a type of education which allows the individuals that have stayed out of general education to receive education or grants a right to the learners to finish any phase of general education before the regular period.

1.0.40. Sub-bachelor’s degree – a professional-vocational degree conferred to the graduates of the secondary professional-vocational education.

1.0.41. Educational credit – the unit of measurement allocated for the mastery of a certain course in accordance with its content and the scope.

1.0.42. Teaching plan – the main regulatory document, which determines the amount of teaching hours allocated both for the courses and extra-curricular activities in respective level of education.

1.0.43. Education – the process of mastering systematized knowledge, skills and abilities and its results.

1.0.44. Educational investments – investing resources for development of education

1.0.46. Teaching program (curriculum) – the national document which specifies learning outcomes and content standards, courses taught, number of weekly teaching and extracurricular activity hours, regulation of teaching process, assessment and monitoring of learning outcomes for each level of education.

1.0.46. Educational product – educational innovations, original educational and teaching programs, system of teaching methods, educational modules, educational projects

1.0.47. Educational institution – an institution which carries out the educational process based on corresponding curricula and issues the respective state documents.

1.0.48. Autonomy of an educational institution – independence granted to state and municipal educational institutions by the respective executive power body.

1.0.49. Educational franchising – a system of complex services for the realization of educational products in domestic or international educational market under corresponding conditions (retaining the official title and the trademark of an educational institution, protection of copyright, etc.)

1.0.50. Doctor – a higher vocational-professional degree conferred to the graduates who have received basic higher medical education.

1.0.51. Doctor-Specialist – a higher vocational-professional degree conferred to the individuals who have completed residency based on the respective curricula.

1.0.52. Tutor – academic advisor in higher educational institutions

1.0.53. University – a leading multi-profile higher educational institution, which carries out a broad range of specialist training at all levels of higher education, in-service training programs, and conducts fundamental and applied scientific research.